The Reason I Regret My Tattoos

The Reason I Regret My Tattoos

The addiction is too real.
Morgan R Snead
Morgan R Snead Jun 1, 2016
731
views

Let's be real. Putting something so permanent on my body was absolutely...the best decision of my life. They’re my favorite.
I'm often asked by people that see my tattoos, “But why would you get that on your skin?” Or, “what are you going to school for?” Or, “you have so many.” Or, “what do they mean?” Or, “you really think you will want that on your skin forever?” Or even, “laser removal hurts a lot I heard…”

You see, these people look at my tattoos and assume things about me: I will have a hard time finding a job, that I must be too ignorant to know what the word permanent means, and that I am a young person making choices because it’s “cool”.

Every one of my tattoos means something to me, but even if they did not mean anything to me, it should not be other’s concern. Frankly, that is because it is on my body, not yours. My tattoos are a piece of art.

1. They help tell my testimony.

When I got my first tattoo almost 3 years ago, I would have never thought I would have as many as I do now, but I also never knew what life was going to throw at me. My tattoos show my story in ways that words cannot. My tattoos show my hurt and pain, but mostly they show my growth and strength. They give me constant reminders of how to fight every day and enjoy life thoroughly.

2. They are conversation starters.

Anywhere I go: church, elevators, grocery stores, restaurants, class, the mall, etc., someone is bound to ask about or look at my tattoos. I thoroughly enjoy all of the attention that I get because of them. I can ask about other’s tattoos or they ask about mine. I get asked what they mean and I am able to explain little parts about what they mean to me, which allows others to talk about their lives as well. I’ve made a lot of friends because of my tattoos.

3.Children LOVE my tattoos.

Mine are mostly in black and white, so they love to color them. They also like to trace the lines with their fingers as if they are drawing them. Children have a lot of questions in general, but when they see someone with tattoos when they are not used to it, they have even more. This allows us to teach children about acceptance of everyone no matter what they have on the outside i.e. scars, tattoos, colored hair, skin tone, piercings, and so on.

4. It is a new time, where things such as tattoos and piercings are becoming more acceptable.

I know a lot of teachers, principals, doctors, and other professionals that have tattoos, and it is not looked down upon. People are beginning to understand that it is a way that people express themselves. As long as they are not offensive, I do not think they should be a barrier for career options, but I do realize that is seen as unprofessional at times when you do have tattoos. This is why my tattoos are in places that will never be shown through my professional attire. It ensures that my career will not be affected by the tattoos on my skin.

5. This is my body. I’m tired of being told what I can and cannot do with my body.

If I want to decorate my body in tattoos, then I should be able to without judgment. We should all start to love people for what they bring to the table and stop judging them for the ways in which they are different than us.

6. Even if I decide that whatever I got one day was not the right choice, it was a time of my life that I can look back on and be thankful for.

Each tattoo of mine is significant to me and my past. No matter what, they remind me of where I have come from and how much I have grown, so they will always be important and worth getting.

Support local business and go get some tattoos. Put art on your body and show the world that it’s your body, so you can do what you want with it. Always try to be careful about the placement of the tattoos if you are young because it can impact your future, but ultimately it is entirely up to you where and what you want to put on your body. Be smart and be sure that you get what you love and something you will want forever. Love your body and love your art. Tell your story and show it off to the world in whatever ways you know best, I know I will.



Cover Image Credit: Morgan Snead
Morgan R Snead
Morgan R Snead Jun 1, 2016
At Illinois State University

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20 Small Tattoos With Big Meanings

Tattoos with meaning you can't deny.
Samantha Williams
Samantha Williams Dec 23, 2014
1192217
views

It's tough to find perfect tattoos with meaning.

You probably want something permanent on your body to mean something deeply, but how do you choose a tattoo that will still be significant in 5, 10, 15, or 50 years? Over time, tattoos have lost much of their stigma and many people consider them a form of art, but it's still possible to get a tattoo you regret.

So here are 20 tattoos you can't go wrong with. Each tattoo has its own unique meaning, but don't blame me if you still have to deal with questions that everyone with a tattoo is tired of hearing!

SEE RELATED: "Please Stop Asking What My Tattoos Mean"

1. A semi-colon indicates a pause in a sentence but does not end. Sometimes it seems like you may have stopped, but you choose to continue on.


2. "A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor."


3. Top symbol: unclosed delta symbol which represents open to change. Bottom symbol: strategy.


4. "There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."


5. Viking symbol meaning "create your own reality."


6.Greek symbol of Inguz: where there's a will, there's a way.

7. Psalm 18:33 "He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights."


8. 'Ohm' tattoo that represents 4 different states of consciousness and a world of illusion: waking (jagrat), dreaming (swapna), deep sleep (sushupti), transcendental state (turiya) and world of illusion (maya)


9. Alchemy: symbolizes copper, means love, balance, feminine beauty and artistic creativity.


10. The Greek word “Meraki" means to do something with soul, passion, love and creativity or to put yourself in to whatever you do.


11. Malin (Skövde, Sweden) – you have to face setbacks to be able to go forward.

12. Symbol meaning "thief" from the Hobbit. It was the rune Gandalf etched into Bilbo's door so the dwarves could find his house.


13. “Lux in tenebris" means “light in darkness."

14. Anchor Tattoo: symbolizing strength & stability, something (or someone) who holds you in place, and provides you the strength to hold on no matter how rough things get.

15."Ad Maiora" is translated literally as “Towards greater things." It is a formula of greeting used to wish more success in life, career or love.


16. A glyphs means “explore." It was meant as a reminder for me to never stop exploring.

17. "Aut inveniam viam aut faciam," meaning roughly, "Either I shall find a way, or I will make one."


18. Lotus Flower. It grows in muddy water, and it is this environment that gives forth the flower's first and most literal meaning: rising and blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment.

19. The zen (or ensō) circle to me represents enlightenment, the universe & the strength we all have inside of us.

20. Two meanings. The moon affirms life. It looks as if it is constantly changing. Can reminds us of the inconsistency of life. It is also symbolizes the continuous circular nature of time and even karma.


SEE ALSO: Sorry That You're Offended, But I Won't Apologize For My Tattoos

Samantha Williams
Samantha Williams Dec 23, 2014
At University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Whether Modest Or Completely Revealed, How I Dress Affects No One But Me

Not one woman defines our entire gender, and how I dress doesn't define anyone but myself.

Raven Machie
Raven Machie Nov 13, 2018
22
views

You'll find me in skinny jeans, boots, and a sweater. It's simple, fairly modest, but accents my curves in the best way possible. My friend Sarah will be in skinny jeans, heels of some sort, and a tight shirt that shows off more cleavage than I would ever dare. My friend Emery will wear a top two sizes too large, sneakers, and whatever looks most comfortable that day. We're all smart. We're all kind. We all want to make the world a better place. We all care for our bodies and respect ourselves, but the way we present ourselves couldn't be any more different.

But some people have an issue with that. Some people believe that dressing in a way that you feel comfortable or most confident makes you look lazy, or that, since women's bodies incite lust in men and can make other women feel insecure, we should focus on preventing others from feeling uncomfortable and instead base our wardrobes around them and their needs.

I can understand these arguments to an extent, but there's a problem with these arguments: if we're basing our wardrobe around what others want and feel, this takes away the confidence and security that many women feel in their clothes. Women aren't perfect creatures. We aren't strong and secure in our bodies 24/7. We don't have a magic wand that will make us feel beautiful or confident at all points in our lives—and that's why many of us turn to clothes that accent the positives attributes we feel that we have and minimize our insecurities.

Even in the article that focused on avoiding making other women feel insecure, there was a big issue; in the cover photo used, you can very clearly see her arms. That's great, but seeing other women's perfectly clear arms makes me insecure due to the eczema I have on mine. If we try to make every woman feel beautiful by stripping away articles of clothing that could make others feel insecure, we will end up covered head-to-toe in shapeless, bland dresses with no individuality.

It is not my job to ensure that people don't find my clothes distressing because I'm showing off my curves. It is not Emery's job to make sure that people don't find her casual clothes "too lazy looking." It is not Sarah's job to be careful about looking "too sexy" in her clothes. Our only jobs are to follow the laws about indecent exposure and feel comfortable in the clothes we chose to wear that day. So instead of focusing on looking perfect every day and trying to hide the areas of our bodies that we're proud of, let's do something else.

Let's focus on our positive attributes, support one another, and not judge each other based on what we're wearing.

We live in a society where women need to look perfect, show just the perfect amount of cleavage, have skirts resting at just the perfect length... why can't we just wear whatever we want to wear and feel confident in our bodies? Why can't we smile and appreciate the woman who dresses modestly during the weekday but wears almost nothing on the weekend? Why do we automatically think the girl wearing sweats to her 2 p.m. English class is lazy, and why do we assume the girl wearing a skintight leather dress to her 8:30 a.m. ethics class sleeps around a lot?

Why can't we just compliment these women? Why can't we acknowledge them for who they are rather than what they look like? If we help women with their self-confidence and help them feel more confident in the body they have, we won't need to hide our positive assets. If we work together to build each other up rather than tear each other down, we'll live in a better world.

Because guess what? Sarah, Emery, and I are all equally valid. We're all intelligent. We all respect our bodies, and we respect each others' bodies. Maybe everyone else should do the same.

Raven Machie
Raven Machie Nov 13, 2018
At Boise State University

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